


The Stories of an Owl

by Tassillow



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 5+1 Things, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Canon Compliant, Canon Level Percy Weasley Bashing, Gen, Hogwarts Era, Hogwarts Third Year, JKR IS WRONG - TRANS RIGHTS, Missing Scene, One Shot, Owls, POV Ron Weasley, Weasley Family-centric (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23516074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tassillow/pseuds/Tassillow
Summary: Alternative Title: The five times Ron lied about where he got Pigwidgeon and the one time he told the truthRon arrives back from Hogwarts after his third year to a very nosy family.
Relationships: Arthur Weasley/Molly Weasley
Comments: 6
Kudos: 51





	The Stories of an Owl

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing I'm ever posting (despite having half-written fanfiction for about 8 years)! What can I say, the lockdown finally dragged it out of me.

**1\. Fred and George**

“Blimey Ron, where’d you get that from?”

“Has little Ronnikins been stealing?”

Ron had just waved goodbye to Harry and Hermione as they strolled back towards the muggle world when he heard the voices behind him. He couldn’t tell which twin had said what, there had been a brief period when Fred had had a slight crack to his voice but the two identical twins had equalised once more.

“No,” Ron scoffed, “why would you think I’d do that?”

“Don’t look so aghast-“ one twin started

“We would have been proud!” The other twin finished.

They were clearly looking at the tiny owl perched on his shoulder. Ron had no cage for the little creature, having thrown Scabbers' in the bin the second he got back to Gryffindor tower in anger. The owl seemed smart enough though to stay where he was told and chirped happily at the Fred and George.

“Well, I didn’t steal him.” Ron huffed, turning back to grab his trunk so he could drag it in the direction of the Floo terminal.

“What’s the story then?” The twin who was probably George asked.

“Well-“ Ron started before realising he really had no clue what to say. He couldn’t very well tell his brothers about Sirius Black. He realised he was waiting too long when Fred prodded him in the back of the head, “I found him.”

“Found an owl?” Fred laughed. “Post owls aren’t well known for getting lost Ronnie.”

“Just our luck if you managed to get the one owl who does!” George joked back.

“They'll make a right pair when you introduce him to Errol.”

“Maybe we should send them out together, they might have just enough owl-ness to actually deliver a letter then.”

“He wasn’t lost,” Ron replied, oddly protective of this creature he had barely had for two hours. “He just flew up to me you know? Think he was wild or something.”

“Yeah right!” Fred said.

“Better come up with something better than that for when you tell Mum!” George warned, sounding very much like he wanted Ron to do nothing of the sort and get into an argument.

**2\. Molly**

“What in the heavens is that?” Molly demanded the second Ron emerged in the fireplace.

“Hi Mum,” he responded weakly. He was the third to arrive after the twins who were standing behind the kitchen table, they weren’t even pretending not to be watching eagerly.

“Don’t you ‘Hi Mum’ me Ronald, now tell me where you got an owl from. I only heard about poor Scabbers’ passing three days ago and you’ve already replaced him.”

“I-“ Ron stammered, “He was a gift.” Ron tried to justify.

“Whoever bought you an owl on such short notice?” Molly asked as she hustled around the kitchen, already fetching water and a bag of treats for the little owl.

“Harry’s... family?” The line came out as more of a question than a statement, much to Ron’s displeasure. At that moment the fire wooshed behind him and the shadow of Percy appeared.

“Hello Mother,” He said solemnly. As Percy went up and kissed their mum on the cheek Ron attempted to sidle towards the door. Unfortunately, the distraction wasn’t to last. “Must dash, I want to change out of these clothes and get a good start on unpacking before dinner.” After a few cooing remarks at her recently graduated child Molly’s stern eyes quickly turned back to Ron, freezing him in place.

“Harry’s family? The same family who you insisted lock him away and hate Owls?” The disbelief in her voice was evident. Behind her, the twins practically lit up with excitement. They could tell Ron had made a mistake.

“Well, I don’t think they bought him per se, just sort of sent him off to Harry to get rid of him,” Ron tried not to stammer. At that moment the Floo lit again, presumably for Ginny’s arrival. Damn, why did Ron have to be the worst liar in the family? Unless you counted Percy, of course, but no one ever did.

“Sister dearest!” Fred yelled.

“You’re just joining us for a spectacular welcome back show!” George continued

“Fancy some snacks while we watch?” at this, Fred brandished the ornate biscuit tin Molly used to for on special occasions.

“Fred Weasley, how many have you had?” Molly turned on them, her hair flying around her, as Ginny voiced an affirmative. “Those were supposed to be for after dinner!”

Ron used this moment to sidle closer to his escape route. Just a few more moments of distraction and he would make it, unnoticed, to the bottom of the staircase. He tried to drag his trunk as carefully behind him as possible, cursing himself for not thinking to put a featherlight charm on it before he left the train. Just as Molly had whisked the biscuits away from her children, not before Ginny had managed to snag one, their father arrived in the fireplace.

“Arthur,” Molly span round, “What do you have to say about this?” She asked gesturing pointedly at Ron.

“About what Mollykins?” their dad asked pulling a bemused look.

“Ronald’s new pet, whatever else?”

“Ron, you got a new pet?” Arthur asked in an interested tone.

“Arthur Weasly don’t tell me you’re so unobservant you didn’t notice an owl on your son’s shoulder!” Molly demanded.

With that final sentence, Ron managed to turn the corner and slip out of sight. He paused for a moment breathing a sigh of relief. “That could’ve gone better,” He said to himself, before beginning the long descent up to his room.

**3\. Ginny**

Ron managed to get about 15 minutes of peace, laying on the bed, before Ginny burst in.

“Merlin Ginny, why don’t you knock?” He asked angrily. She shrugged back at him before jumping onto the foot of his bed and sitting crosslegged facing him. The little owl who had been spending the time circling the ceiling in flight came and landed on her fingers as she held out a stolen owl treat.

“So I picked up the gist of what happened down there,” She began. “And I’ve come up here for the real story.”

“And what makes you think I’ll tell you?” Ron crossed his arms and said to her.

“Have something to hide?” Ginny smirked, scratching the tiny owl under his feathers.

“No,” Ron replied quickly, “I just don’t see why you’re so curious.”

“Just a hunch there’s a good story here,” Ginny shrugged.

“Oh fine,” Ron tried to look casual, “Look I won some money in a bet with Seamus, thought an owl would be a good way to spend it. I didn’t want mum to know I’d been betting money like that so don’t tell her.”

“Well that’s a better lie than normal,” Ginny laughed.

“What, it isn’t a lie!” Ron stuttered out.

“Yeah, it is,” Ginny said, “But listen, I’ll drop it if you let me name him.”

“No way, you’ll name it something stupid and girly,” with this Ron let himself flop back onto the bed.

“If you don't let me, I’ll tell mum you’ve been irresponsible with money and carelessly betting it away.”

“You just said you didn’t believe that!” Ron exclaimed sitting straight back up.

“Yeah, but mum doesn’t know it’s a lie now does she,” Ginny stuck her tongue out at Ron before unfolding off the bed and heading to the door.

“You can’t tell her!” Ron called after her.

“I’ll be back with a shortlist by the end of the day!”

**4\. Arthur**

“Hi Ron,” Arthur Weasley said as he eased open the bedroom door and entered.

“Hi dad,” Ron replied, monosyllabically, from behind the comic book he was reading.

“Didn’t have much of a chance to talk at the station earlier,” Arthur continued, wandering around the room with his head ducked to avoid the ceiling. “How was the end of term?”

“Good,” Ron replied.

“Good good, and your exams? They went well?”

“Yeah, they went ok,” Ron sighed, letting the comic book drop as he accepted this wasn’t going to be a short conversation.

“Excellent, I knew you’d do well!” The owl swooped down from the top of the wardrobe with a high pitched hoot to circle around Arthur’s head. “Oh marvellous,” Arthur continued, “It’s a shame about Scabbers but this little one is very sweet. He has the spirit of a good post owl too.”

“Yeah,” Ron replied already anticipating the next question.

“Where did you get him from again?” The question from his father was innocuous enough. Unlike everyone else, it appeared Arthur was genuinely curious.

“Hagrid gave him to me,” Ron was prepared this time, “He helps breed the school owls but they didn’t need this one.”

“The gamekeeper that is? Nice man.”

“Yeah, he is,” Ron answered with a grin. Finally, someone believed him. Now he just had to make sure no one else discussed the owl again. Seemed reasonable enough.

**5\. Percy**

“Oh Ron, do eat some of the vegetables,” Molly said with a light slap to his hand as he tried to help himself to another piece of chicken. He scowled at her but did as he was asked. The big dinner his mum had made to welcome them home from school was nowhere near the size of a Hogwarts feast but he enjoyed it so much more. There was nothing like his mum’s cooking.

“So Ronald,” Percy began to say, “I noticed you got an owl? I must say Scabbers was a great pet but there is nothing quite like having an owl.”

“Hmm,” Ron hummed back around a mouthful of mashed potato.

“Hermes has been a big help to me, besides being a companion of course. I’ve managed to gain a good few correspondents in the ministry and in the transfiguration community. Professionals love a good letter about their interests, and it gives you a leg up in a job of course. And you’re a year earlier than me, by the time you’ve sat your NEWTs you could already have prospective jobs lined up. I can give you some names if you’d like?”

Ron had absolutely no intention of taking Percy up on this offer. Frankly, he only thought Percy wrote letters to so many adults because he didn’t have any friends his own age to write to.

“Ron isn’t going to become a bore like you just because he’s got an owl, Perc,” Fred, who was sitting next to Ron, chimed in.

“Yeah, besides sending a stolen owl into the ministry probably isn’t the best of plans,” George snorted.

“Stolen!” Molly’s fork clattered to her plate with her exclamation. Ginny and Arthur, who had been having a rather excitable discussion about her starting muggle studies next year, stopped talking abruptly.

“I didn’t steal him!” Ron said, almost choking on how quick he swallowed his food. He was partially trying to calmly placate Molly but also in anger at George. “I told you that earlier.”

“Oh goodness, boys don’t scare me like that,” Molly said with a hand to her chest like she had been wounded.

“Rather childish behaviour considering you’re entering your NEWTs,” Percy muttered with a precocious air to his tone.

“Yeah don’t worry mum! he bought the owl himself, with the money he won off Seamus!” Ginny chimed in a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

If Ron had been sitting near her he would have kicked her. As it was, Fred was sitting in the way and he instead hissed across the table “Ginny! You said you wouldn’t tell!” Unfortunately, it was too late for him, after a moment more of shocked silence Molly started yelling. Ron winced at the sound.

The argument devolved around Ron with very little input from himself. His mother was trying to yell at him but, from her place at the opposite end of the table, it was having little effect reaching him over the cacophony of shouting in between.

Later in the evening, he went to find Ginny again. He had been properly scolded for gambling and lying about it, which he could say little to counteract now. He crossed his arms and glared at her sternly from the doorway.

“You don’t get to name him after that rubbish,” He said forcefully.

“Too late,” She replied, “I called him Pigwidgeon, cute right?”

“What, no! It’s stupid! I’m going to call him something else.”

“You can try,” Ginny said ominously as he left the room.

**+1. The Ghoul**

“So, then I woke up in the hospital wing, right? My leg was mending but I had this right pounding headache. Harry and Hermione had gone on a big adventure back in time without me.” Ron was sitting in the attic as he spoke. It was a hot day, the first one since the holidays had begun, so everyone was outside. This was the perfect time to sneak up here and finally let out the dramatic story he had been holding in for weeks. “Turns out they’d been tipped off by Dumbledore to go back and save Buckbeak and Sirius.”

He only got a groan from the ghoul that lived in the attic in response.

“Yeah, I know. So obviously Sirius is back on the run and they don’t seem to have found him yet. We didn’t hear from him for ages but then this little owl arrived with a note from him while we were on the train home.” Ron brandished the owl at the ghoul to show him. “He said I could keep him because, obviously, I don’t have Scabbers anymore”

The ghoul’s unfocussed eyes watched him more attentively than normal.

“So anyway he’s mine now. Ginny named him Pigwidgeon and he won’t answer to anything else now. Stupid name but at least he doesn’t mind if I shorten it to Pig. Anyway don’t eat him if he flies up here, I know he probably looks the same size as an insect to you but he’s mine ok?”

The arm that had slowly been reaching out to Pig dropped back into the ghoul’s lap. Ron could only guess this meant he understood. With an affirmative nod, he got up and made his way back towards the exit.

“Oh, and if you somehow manage to learn to talk or something, please don’t tell any of this to anyone ok?”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I don't have a beta reader so please feel free to point out any mistakes. Please chat to me about anything else in the comments as well, they're always welcome!


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